Every fall, football fans from Sarasota to Seattle watch players in their NFL teams endure bone-crushing hits, sometimes resulting in blows to the head. For years, a concussive injury was considered just a part of the game. But advances in medicine have shown the long-term effects of these concussions to be anything but routine €" indeed, they can even be a precursor to a serious brain condition. Concern over that condition has prompted a number of retired NFL stars to seek representation from an injury attorney who they hope will hold the league responsible. Sarasota injury attorneys will be following these cases with interest as the struggle is on with regard to a new precedent for the NFL.

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is the medical term doctors use to describe damage to the brain. It most often results from a severe blow that causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull. As with any head injury, TBI can result in mild to severe symptoms. As might be expected, football players are no strangers to the kind of impact that can result in a TBI. But it's another condition, and its more lingering effects that have prompted the involvement of attorneys on behalf of a number of players who have reported symptoms of TBI. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) €" also known as boxer's dementia €" is a more serious condition that may result from ongoing or sustained TBIs. CTE, a form of brain disease, exhibits symptoms that reflect the degenerative condition: erratic behavior, memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and depression, among others. It's this last characteristic that has players, attorneys, doctors, and NFL officials wondering.

In recent years, football fans in Sarasota and throughout the U.S. have been saddened by a rash of suicides involving former NFL athletes. One, David Duerson of the Chicago Bears, left behind a note requesting that his brain be studied for evidence of CTE, which was in fact discovered by researchers. Now there is no shortage of speculation about the role of TBIs in other players' suicides. Whether a link can be proven is another matter. If the players' suit goes forward, a Sarasota injury attorney will keep watch. Many of the players involved in the suit report symptoms closely resembling those associated with boxer's dementia. They want to hold the league accountable for putting them back onto the field without properly ascertaining the extent of their injuries. The NFL denies the allegations.

Baseball is supposed to be America's pastime, but whether they're in Sarasota or Dallas, football fans know that NFL stars are the kings of professional sports. Nonetheless, the kinds of injury these latter-day gladiators endure have taken a toll. As injury attorneys prepare to suit up on behalf of these wounded pros and their former employer, it remains to be seen just what changes are in store for the current roster of athletes.